May 2006

12th May 2006

12:00 AM — A gay teenager who was killed days before giving evidence against a man accused of sexually assaulting him had an "evil streak," his alleged attacker claims.The skeletal remains of Arron James Light, 17, were found in a shallow grave in Sydney in March 2002 after being reported missing since December 1997, an inquest into his death has brought forward allegations that he was a prostitute.

12:00 AM — Civil partnerships should be implemented in Ireland according to human rights laws, a report recommends today.The Irish Human Rights Commission produced their findings, which assessed the adequacy of current Irish law with international human rights standards, to the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Michael McDowell.

12:00 AM — A newsagent was shocked this week after being asked to disclose her sexuality when completing a form related to selling sandwiches.Aruna Majevadia, had been providing sandwiches in her Brighton shop for two years, but was amazed when the council sent her a form to complete regarding hygiene standards, which asked for her nationality, religion and sexuality.

12:00 AM — Enfield residents are demanding to know why they were not informed about a convicted paedophile and his gay lover living in their area for 20 years unchecked, as vandals begin to target the couple's flat.William McIntyre, 63, and his boyfriend, Geoffrey Taylor, 50, were jailed by Wood Green Crown Court for six years after sexually abusing a 13-year-old boy, who came forward seven years later.

12:00 AM — Gay groups, politicians and journalists from France, Germany and Poland have created a "Gay Weimar Triangle" to combat homophobia in Europe.The organisation refers to a 1991 political agreement between the countries, it was set up after a meeting in Berlin, Germany last week.

12:00 AM — Gay groups in Australia are celebrating a landmark law passed in the Australian Capital Territory last night giving same sex couples the right to civil unions for the first time.The local assembly approved the bill in a late night vote yesterday.A spokesman for Federal Government Attorney General Phillip Ruddock, who along with Prime Minister John Howard had vowed to block the law, told the Associated Foreign Press, the government was happy with the changes made.

11th May 2006

12:00 AM — American author, Armistead Maupin has been announced as the winner of the Big Gay Read, making him the gay community's favourite novelist.Mr Maupin, the world's best selling gay writer, was chosen for his novel, Tales of the City, as part of the Queer Up North festival in Manchester.

12:00 AM — PinkNews.co.uk ExclusiveThe British National Party fears that homosexuality will soon be compulsory if activists get their way.A spokesman for Nick Griffin's right wing party told PinkNews.co.uk today that homosexuality should not be promoted as equal to a straight lifestyle.

12:00 AM — PinkNews.co.uk ExclusiveThe British National Party fears that homosexuality will soon be compulsory if activists get their way.A spokesman for Nick Griffin's right wing party told PinkNews.co.uk today that homosexuality should not be promoted as equal to a straight lifestyle.

12:00 AM — PinkNews.co.uk ExclusivePinkNews.co.uk has obtained pictures of the alleged gay porn film produced and directed by a British National Party councillor.Richard Barnbrook, London co-ordinator for the right wing party, has strongly denied media rumours that the film is pornographic after the Evening Standard claimed to have a copy of the production, HMS Discovery: A Love Story, described as "Marxist gay cinema from conceptual artist Barnbrook."

12:00 AM — The leader of the Catholic Church in England and Wales has expressed "astonishment" at claims that new minister for Women and Equality will struggle to fulfil her role because of her faith.In a letter to The Times, Cardinal Cormac Murphy O'Connor, the Archbishop of Westminster, asked for respect for Ms Kelly's beliefs.

12:00 AM — PinkNews.co.uk ExclusiveEngland's only charity supporting housing for members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community has "regretfully" withdrawn from providing services in Brighton after feeling left out in the cold over funding.The Albert Kennedy Trust (AKT), which works in Brighton, London and Manchester, providing foster care and lodgings to LGBT people in homeless and hostile environments, announced today that it could not carry on working in Brighton and Hove without ongoing support from the council.

12:00 AM — The Pope has been accused of trying to rule Italy's political agenda after yet again criticising gay marriage.Addressing a meeting on family and marriage, Pope Benedict XVI repeated the Catholic Church's view on marriage as between a man and a woman.

12:00 AM — The Ohio House has unanimously approved a bill which will ensure groups who protest at funerals blaming America's gay laws will have to be at least 300 feet away from mourners.It will mainly affect the Westboro Baptist church who run a website called GodHatesFags have protested at over 100 funerals of soldiers killed in the line of duty in Iraq.

12:00 AM — Despite controversy and much publicity over an advert featuring a lesbian kiss, fashion company French Connection has announced a drop in retail sales.Chairman and chief executive, Stephen Marks, said at the company's Annual General Meeting statement: "In line with other fashion retailers we found that trading over the Easter period was difficult and did not meet our expectations.

12:00 AM — Sexual health charity, Terrence Higgins Trust, has received a BBC Children in Need grant of over £38,000 to fund a specialist young people's counsellor over the next three years.The post, which is based in various venues across London three days a week, will offer counselling around sexual health, sex and relationships and sexual orientation to young people aged 13 to 18.

12:00 AM — Gay icon, Britney Spears is pregnant.The singer is expecting her second child with husband Kevin Federline.Spears, who gave birth to a son, Sean Preston, last year, revealed the news on The Tonight Show, she told host David Letterman, "Don't worry, Dave, it's not yours."

12:00 AM — A British National Party councillor has strongly denied media rumours that he has made a gay porn film.The Evening Standard claims to have a copy of a film produced and directed by Richard Barnbrook described as "Marxist gay cinema from conceptual artist Barnbrook."

12:00 AM — PinkNews.co.uk ExclusiveThe Mayor of London has called the Greater London Assembly (GLA) Liberal Democrats a "disgrace to their party" after voting for a Tory member to become chairman of the city wide governmentBrian Coleman, an openly gay Conservative, was elected as the chairman of the GLA yesterday, prompting Ken Livingstone to criticise the Lib Dems for not taking the chance to vote for a Green Party candidate.

12:00 AM — The National AIDs Trust (NAT) has moved to calm reports of an outbreak of HIV in St Ives, Cornwall.Around 10 cases have been confirmed in the seaside town, and one man was rumoured to have been responsible, a claim quashed by the NAT.The West of Cornwall Primary Care Trust issued a statement last week calling for people to be tested and set up a help line after a number of cases emerged in the area.

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